rain; it was a cold, muddy deluge that turned the ground into

astering to her skin, chilling her to the bone. She didn't have an umbrell

line stared at the mahogany casket being lowered into the wet earth. It was a nice casket-Cedric had paid for the best, t

ve black umbrella over him. Cedric stood with his hands clasped in front o

. She pulled a single white rose from her pocket

whispered, her voice

t landed softly on the

Amen," the sound of tires crunching

se to the burial site, its tires splashing mud onto the grass

om her eyes, squinting. Ever

eels stepped into the mud, followed by leg

Serrano

-paneled, and cut low in the front. She wore a fascinator hat wit

at her sides. Her nails dug into her

nto the mud. She held a lace handkerchief to her eyes, dabbing at tear

ic m

away from his driver, took the umbrella, and walked to meet her. He offered C

. It felt like a knife tw

ld reach the grave. She stepped directly in

voice was low, shaking with a

inst Cedric. She looked up at him with wide, fearf

closer. "You were there. You stressed her out.

. He stepped between the two women, using his

oom, Cedric! I sm

to bring her a gift basket. I wanted to make peace for your sake, Cedric. But sh

hand, blind instinct taking over, wanting

never c

rip was iron-hard, his fingers digging in

n his eyes was worse than hatred. It was a look

e low and dangerous. "You are embarrassing the Malone fa

ease. He was holding her wrist to protect the woman who had tormented her. He cared

e," Evangeli

distasteful. Evangeline stumbled back, her heels slipping in th

hispering. They looked at Evangeline with pity and judgment. T

econd, when Cedric turned to glare at the priest to continue,

lilies on the grave, right over Ev

grey and damp. Evangeline stood in the parking lot of t

closing his notebook with

tronizingly gentle. "But the autopsy was clear. Cardiac arrest du

ly over her chest to stop the shivering. "Stress can induce a he

w, ma'am. Unless you have video of her physically a

Evangeline demanded. "Th

wer surge yesterday. Wiped the local drive and corrupted the cloud

face. Bad timing. Or expensive timing. Th

limousine. Chloie was sitting inside, but the door was open. Cedric was handing

Evangeline like that. N

etective. "She gets away with it becau

away with, Mrs. Malone.

ot into his car

d. She looked at her hands. They

d wedding band glinted in the dull ligh

visible, supportive, grateful. And it had gotten her nothing

an to recede, replaced by a cold, hard res

if Cedric wouldn't protect h

she slid it off her finger. The skin undernea

he ring into

She wasn't Mrs. Malone anymore. She was